Former bar to get new use

Aug. 15—HIGH POINT — The owner of a long-vacant bar building in a former industrial block near downtown High Point is seeking to redevelop it into a destination for designers in the home furnishings industry.

Ridvan Tatargil said he is working with architects and general contractors on plans to remodel the structure at the corner of W. Green Drive and Oak Street into a combination of an entertainment venue and a retail outlet for Steinway pianos.

It would cater to the High Point Market trade and include a component open to the public, he said.

"My goal is to grow High Point into a year-round destination for designers," said Tatargil, who bought the property in 2016. "When we began conversations with Mark and Katherine Love of Steinway Carolina, they were excited about the prospect of having a location in the heart of the High Point Market."

The 1,900-square-foot brick building was last used as a bar that catered to motorcyclists, but closed several years before Tatargil bought it.

It was one of several parcels he purchased surrounding Pandora's Manor, a historic home on W. High Avenue that he restored into a bed and breakfast/event venue.

It's near the Market showroom for Tatargil's company, Eastern Accents, which designs and manufactures luxury home textile goods, such as bedding and draperies.

It's also one of several investments he's made in the immediate area, including buying the former Hayworth Roll & Panel furniture plant in the 600 block of W. Green Drive, which he plans to renovate into a design hub, as well as manufacturing and display space for Eastern Accents.

Tatargil said he got the idea for what to do with the former biker bar location after meeting Mark Love, CEO of Steinway Piano Galleries of Charlotte, at a piano concert.

Love said there are Steinway Carollina stores in Charlotte, Greensboro and Greenville, South Carolina.

"The idea of having a location in High Point to connect with home furnishings retailers and designers is very exciting," he said.

Tatargil said the building is in good shape, and the site has the required zoning in place to accommodate his plans.

He enlisted Freeman Kennett Architects and Dunbar & Smith general contractors, and both are working to get the remodeling plans approved by the city, with the goal of starting construction before the end of the year, he said.